The Khloe Effect: Will Kardashian Help or Hurt Lamar Odom's Basketball Career?

The Los Angeles Lakers are starting a new season and the $33 million man everyone has their eye on is Lamar Odom. Of course basketball fans apparently care about what Lamar actually does on the court, but the rest of America is paying much more attention to his personal life with new bride Khloe Kardashian.

In fact, the kick-off of the Lakers season this week has already been overshadowed by Khloe and Lamar's trip to the tattoo parlor (K and L tats...too sweet). Here at PopEater we are wondering will marrying Khloe be a boom or a bust for Lamar? Our experts weigh in after the jump.

"When any of these poison Kardashians get their hands on a professional athlete, it usually results in a higher profile for the player, but a decrease in both playing time and physical ability. Look up Bush, Reggie," says Deadspin.com editor AJ Daulerio. "Odom just signed a fat contract in August so maybe he feels more secure about the decision than Mr. Bush did. I'd just worry that Mr. Odom exposes himself to possible injury since Khloe is larger and more intimidating than many of his NBA opponents. I wouldn't be shocked if he spends a good portion of the season on the disabled list."

As Daulerio mentions, Lamar isn't the first professional athlete to be caught in the wily web of the Kardashian family. Kim Kardashian is very much back on with her NFL running back boyfriend Reggie Bush after the pair took a brief summer hiatus. This time around Kim has made sure to make herself a staple at all of Bush's games. And while Reggie was flailing last season when the pair first hooked up maybe canoodling with Kim this time around has given his on-field mojo a boost (see, A-Rod and Hudson, Kate) because he has been a major part of the Saints 6-0 record this season.

Reggie Bush was also a relative newbie to the whole celebrity thing. Being a Laker, Odom was a celebrity in his own right before he got together with Khloe. Plus he is backed by a solid team that probably won't let him fail.

"Big free-agent contracts are much harder to live up to for role players who move to new cities and are expected to be stars. That's not the case with Odom, especially with Ron Artest coming in to join Kobe Bryant & Co. They might have the best defensive team in the NBA," says New York Daily News sports writer Jesse Spector.

Spector is actually more concerned with Odom's influence on poor Khloe. Before marrying the Kardashian, Odom was probably best known for his obsession with candy. He is so obsessed he has admitted that he eats candy for breakfast.

"Now, Khloe Kardashian is a lovely woman, but in Hollywood, where everyone is expected to be a waif, she gets called fat -- even after she's lost a significant amount of weight. For a lot of people who have lost weight, one of the easiest ways to keep it off is to change your grocery-shopping habits and not have junk food in the house. So, what happens there?" Spector wonders.

Don't worry Jess, we're sure the cameras will be rolling the entire time. So tune in and wait and see.

Television personality Khloe Kardashian arrives at Closet Sundays' one-year anniversary at The Beatles Revolution Lounge at the Mirage Hotel and Casino on October 25, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Khloe Kardashian Hosts Closet Sundays' One-Year Anniversary At The Beatles The Mirage Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, NV United States October 25, 2009

I just looked at Lamar's career stats, and just don't see how being with Khloe Kardashian will help or hurt him in any way. Does anyone have a quarter I can flip to figure out how being with Khloe will affect Lamar's performance??

OHHHHHH PLeeze with no talent the best you can do is land a husband which would have probably been hard to land anyone if the mom had not pimped them out like there were about something with talent,,my Question is WHAT TALENT , Khloe has a big mouth ,,when she has to answer on a test of wits she resorts to cussing ,,because why ,,you guessed it, no talent to even fake what she doesnt know ~

It will definitely hurt him- Odom is going to get trash talked so bad for being married to such an ugly skank that the constant badgering about his horse faced old lady will take its toll, and his performance will reflect his anxiety.

I agree with you 1000 percent, how the hell are these pigs getting any type, I'm tired of hearing who can marry the ugliest black man they can find. I'm sure this will last for eternity, he probably is alread do other women

Are you serious what does who he married have anything to do with his basketball game like she's gonna run the floor with the man. So lame and after Lakers win last night clearly it hasnt affected his game and she was there by the way. Check his stats 16 points 13 rebounds, 5 assist, and 2 steals. Next topic people...